Oregon acrobatics and tumbling may have spent the university’s spring break in Hawaii, but the athletes were all business. After losing two straight meets, the Ducks desperately needed a statement ahead of a visit from No. 1 Baylor in two weeks’ time. But they were diving into the ‘Shark Tank’, and had to learn to swim.
That’s exactly what Oregon (2-2) did, posting a new season-high in points in its 276.915-258.345 victory over Hawaii Pacific University (0-4) on Sunday night. Buoyed by the program’s first perfect-10 score in the open pyramid heat since 2021, starring bases Bella Swarthout, Cami Wilson, Ava Gowdy alongside top Makena Carrion and a consistent first half, the Ducks won by nearly 20 points.
Oregon kept a steady lead throughout the meet — something that it has struggled to do this year — and led the Sharks by 3.900 points headed into the team event, the most that it has led by at this point this year. The final hurdle, though, is where the Ducks have struggled in each of their losses this season. In both of those meets, the Ducks trailed by two points or less ahead of the final event. But, in both of those final events, significant mistakes held them back.
There would be none of that on Sunday.
Oregon cruised to a monster 94.14 score in the team event, and Hawaii Pacific crumbled under the pressure, only managing a 79.47. For the Ducks, it’s all been about mental preparation — something that head coach Taylor Susnara repeats after every meet. They weren’t able to make it happen against Quinnipiac, but this time, it paid off in victory.
With a chance for revenge against the Bears on the horizon, it’ll be all business once again when the Ducks return to Eugene. The NCATA National Championships are a month away — but it’s proving time for Oregon.
It’ll be the consistency of Sunday’s meet that the Ducks will look to carry into their next matchup; they posted only one score under 9.00 in the entire meet. Armed with that mental strength, they’ll look to stick close to Baylor and show out once again in the team event. It’s not really about who’s on the other side of the mat, though. It’s about how high they can set their own bar — and set the bar they did in Hawaii.
